2010 seemed like a weirdly stagnant year compared to years past, didn't it? Despite a lack of flash and excitement, 2010 was a year where measured consideration and thoughtful design ideas were bubbling beneath the surface, and I believe that this year we'll see a resurgence of excitement about new approaches to design in 2011:

1. THE SLOW DEATH OF FAST CONSUMPTION
For too many years, the relentless marketing push around "newness", along with race-to-the-bottom consumer prices (and corresponding labor/manufacturing costs) has elevated fast consumption to an unsustainable level. Thanks in part to the economic downturn, consumers are finally beginning to feel nauseous from stuffing their faces and houses with too many unneeded products -- and are becoming pickier about the things they bring into their lives. While economists and politics bemoan the current state of the economy, it has so far been great for weeding out stupid products and companies that have no good reason to exist. I predict that in 2011 we will see increasing skepticism. comparison and research on the part of consumers in deciding what they want to purchase, which will lead to better and more thoughtful products. We'll see consumers foregoing thoughtless impulse buys in order to invest more in quality products that will stand the test of time.

3. SHARE & SHARE ALIKE
As many of my green design comrades-in-arms have mentioned in this article, sharing services like Zipcar and Netflix are exploding right now and that's because consumers like the idea of being able to try, use and enjoy something without the commitment and costs associated with ownership. (When space is at a premium, they also like to cut the clutter and forgo trying to find storage for objects.) I foresee that in 2011 more and more consumers will warm up to the idea of 'sharing' and will sign up for car sharing, bike sharing and even pet sharing services. As a result companies which are skilled at designing great systems and services will flourish, while many traditional 'object designers' will need to turn their focus towards systems design and user interaction design in order to find a market for their skills.

4. THE RISE OF DESIGN IDEAS
Related to the above point - in 2011 elevation of ideas over objects will continue to grow. This means there will be a growing demand for experience/interaction design skills rather than traditional product design skills. More attention will be paid to how something works and how it makes a user feel rather than how it looks.

5. THE RISE OF THE AMATEUR
Finally, I predict 2011 to be a year where more and more average consumers and hobbyists get involved in the world of "design" by creating, crafting and engineering their own products. The rapid growth of Etsy and Instructables have shown that interest in DIY and craft is growing by leaps and bounds. Not only have creative tools such as software, publishing platforms and DIY instructions become increasingly available and easy to find online, but there is an innate satisfaction that individuals derive from making things, and in our post-industrial society (where we're increasingly distanced from the process of making pretty much everything) many people are craving a closer connection with the process of creation. This means that there will be more and more stuff available out there and more "noise" as increasing numbers of individuals get into every possible niche, but also there will be more interesting things for consumers to choose from as both supply and demand grow. I think it also means we'll all be more creative and fulfilled in our personal lives as more and more of us turn to crafts and DIY projects.

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8 Comments

Starre VartanJanuary 4, 2011 at 11:35 pm

I’ve been watching designers pushing the boundaries in green- and putting sustainable ideas front and center to the public for the past decade that I’ve been reporting on environmental issues. Keep going guys!! It’s working

greenstreetincJanuary 4, 2011 at 4:30 pm

It’s so inspiring to see green design continuing to become more than just a ‘passing’ interest – especially in New York. Great Article and looking forward to helping NY become ‘greener’ in 2011!

davidbrodeurJanuary 4, 2011 at 1:51 pm

Some great predictions! Really enjoyed the contributions – especially the ones from Sarah and Bridgette.

Andrew MichlerJanuary 4, 2011 at 1:44 pm

What a great group of voices. I would have to agree with Kira Gould that the thinking professionals in the environmental disciplines will have to take charge rather than counting on a short term thinking political class. If we create undeniably superior designs and systems then the political process will have no choice but to support it.

kestrelJanuary 4, 2011 at 1:43 pm

Inhabitat…always keeping my optimistic for the future of green design.

Jessica DaileyJanuary 4, 2011 at 1:30 pm

I completely agree with Bridgette’s prediction that 2011 will be the year of green renovations. We’re already starting to see this with the multiple passive house retrofits taking place in NYC!

My own predictions for 2011 were recently posted on my blog, in a summary of the emerging Living Economy. I summarized a few of the game-changing frameworks, and linked to a number of useful documents. Everyone welcome in that discussion:)”The Shift Hits the Fan”, on erikvanlennep(dot) com. Really, this isn’t an egregious self-promotion. Really.